Mazda 6: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Mazda 6 fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 2.7 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 61,885 individual Mazda 6 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 74% first-time pass rate means roughly 26 in every 100 Mazda 6s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Mazda 6 tested had covered 91,609 miles and was built around 2013.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a Mazda 6 bought as a repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Mazda 6 rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see what damaged Mazda 6s actually sold for at UK salvage auction, from 7 real settled sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Mazda 6

1. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 2.4% of tests (2.43x the national rate for this defect)
2. Parking brake inoperative on one side, 1% of tests (2.25x the national rate for this defect)
3. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 2.6% of tests (1.92x the national rate for this defect)
4. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 1.4% of tests (1.88x the national rate for this defect)
5. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 3% of tests (1.85x the national rate for this defect)
6. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 1.5% of tests (1.84x the national rate for this defect)
7. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 1.5% of tests (1.82x the national rate for this defect)
8. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 2.7% of tests (1.77x the national rate for this defect)
9. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 2.5% of tests (1.41x the national rate for this defect)
10. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 1.6% of tests (1.17x the national rate for this defect)

From 90,449 DVSA-tracked Mazda 6 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 5.16% of these flagged Mazda 6 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

Mazda 6 pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each Mazda 6 year:

• 2004 Mazda 6 - 57.8% first-time pass, 370 tests
• 2005 Mazda 6 - 58.2% first-time pass, 802 tests
• 2006 Mazda 6 - 63.9% first-time pass, 1,262 tests
• 2007 Mazda 6 - 63% first-time pass, 2,244 tests
• 2008 Mazda 6 - 63.1% first-time pass, 3,300 tests
• 2009 Mazda 6 - 66.6% first-time pass, 3,822 tests
• 2010 Mazda 6 - 65.6% first-time pass, 5,059 tests
• 2011 Mazda 6 - 66% first-time pass, 3,960 tests
• 2012 Mazda 6 - 68.2% first-time pass, 2,867 tests
• 2013 Mazda 6 - 73.2% first-time pass, 4,127 tests
• 2014 Mazda 6 - 75% first-time pass, 6,221 tests
• 2015 Mazda 6 - 78.1% first-time pass, 6,657 tests
• 2016 Mazda 6 - 80.1% first-time pass, 6,884 tests
• 2017 Mazda 6 - 84.6% first-time pass, 4,733 tests
• 2018 Mazda 6 - 87% first-time pass, 3,247 tests
• 2019 Mazda 6 - 89.4% first-time pass, 4,444 tests
• 2020 Mazda 6 - 92.8% first-time pass, 1,048 tests

Mazda 6 by fuel type

Diesel and petrol versions of the same car fail on different things, so the fuel type moves the number:

• Diesel Mazda 6 - 74.3% first-time pass, 32,906 tests
• Petrol Mazda 6 - 75% first-time pass, 28,464 tests

Other Mazda models

• Mazda 2 - 73.4%
• Mazda 3 - 73.4%
• Mazda Mx-5 - 77.2%
• Mazda Cx-5 - 83.1%
• Mazda Cx-3 - 88%
• Mazda 5 - 59%
• Mazda Bongo - 58.1%
• Mazda 2 GT Sport Nav Mhev - 93.9%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Lexus Is220 - 74.2%
• Perodua Myvi - 74.2%
• Toyota Landcruiser Estate - 74.1%
• Suzuki Alto - 74%
• Fiat Motorhome - 74%
• Renault R5 - 74%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate